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Tuesday, 14 February 2012

As you can see from my header pic, I finished off both of my Quaker Valentines over the weekend. I love how they've turned out. With some practise, I'm getting much better at these finishes. The backing fabric is a perfect compliment to the design too.

This morning I got up early to finish off this Valentine for my husband. This is a complimentary design from The Gift Of Stitching magazine. Trying to do finishes of anything other than squares and rectangles is beyond my finishing skills. I'm lousy at trying to fold back the fabric on unusual shapes. Then there's the fact that I can't draw worth beans so I spent a good part of the week looking for a heart template that would suit my needs. I was getting a little discouraged until I paid a visit to our local pharmacy. I dropped by there to pick up some Valentine cards and candies for my granddaughters. I didn't want anything too big since I was planning on sending these through the mail. Didn't they have the cutest little heart shaped boxes filled with chocolates! As I looked at them a lightbulb came on and I thought they just might be the right size for my finish. I bought one extra box, brought it home and the first thing I did was eat up all those sweet little chocolates!After all, I needed the box, right? This was a priority! Then I grabbed my stitching and placed it over the box top. A perfect fit!! Rather than do a box finish, I used the box instead to draw my template. Folding my fabric over the mat board shape was a little finicky but not as bad as I was expecting.

I used some fabric and trim I had left over from my granddaughter's Christmas ornaments and voila!One not too shabby Valentine finish, if I do say so myself!Of course, Bob will love it but I'm also sure he would have loved it just as well if I'd have given him the box of chocolates instead, lol! Perhaps I'll run out later and pick up another one of those little boxes. It's all in the interest of crafting you see. Bob has to work all day today and because he knew he wasn't going to be around he suggested that we spend some time together on his day off on Monday and take a drive to Montebello, Quebec. This is why I find myself working on his Valentine at the last minute.

Now Montebello is home to a very luxurious hotel and spa getaway which at the moment is out of our price range. So what else is there to do in the area? Visit Parc Omega! Not exactly a romantic getaway but definitely on our list of places we've been meaning to visit.

Parc Omega is an 1800 acre park containing various landscapes such as forest, meadow, valleys and hills. It's home to a number of wildlife species including many species of deer, some of which, like the fallows and reindeer, have been brought in from Europe. I love deer!There are some walking trails within the park but for the most part, you drive through the park, observing the animals in their natural habitat, snapping pictures and feeding the various deer who approach your car. Now, if you don't want the animal to stick his/her head into your vehicle in an attempt to take off with all of your carrots, then you only open the window partway and offer the carrot to your friend . This results in much slobbering and licking of your side windows especially when you've run out of carrots and don't dare open the window to avoid a search! Besides the deer, there are numerous wild boars running amuck who also come to your window to investigate.

See all of that lovely dried slobber on my windows? Gross! Does he remind you a little of Pumbaa from The Lion King?

Wild Boar

They are rather inquisitive animals but not exactly cute!

Here are some more pics from our drive through the park.

Red Deer

Fallow

Coyote

Alpine Ibex

Buffalo

Moose

Fences are found in some areas to keep the animals from wandering among other species within the park. For the most part this is not like a zoo where the animals are caged but rather an extensive landscape where the animals wander in the habitat that suits them. The following two pics are my favourites from my visit.

I love how the arctic fox covers his eyes with his tail so as not to be spotted in his habitat. I made a noise so that he would peek out at us.

Wapiti, otherwise known as Elk

Unfortunately we didn't see any of the bear, timber wolves or arctic wolves on this visit. Of course the bear would be hibernating and the wolves travel in packs throughout the vast park. There are also many species of birds within the park and we did spot this handsome fellow during our drive.

We spent a little more than two hours driving through the vast park. It's much easier to see the animals against the snowy backdrop and without all the summer foliage however I do want to return again especially in the fall. The colours would be phenomenal! I'm sure my granddaughters would love a return visit. This park is only a half hour drive from their grandfather's home and they've visited here a number of times.On our exit from the park we ran into this group of red deer, whose rear ends look as if they've all sat in a can of beige paint. Such long legs too!

I should have some more stitchy pictures in the next couple of days. I do have another Valentine finish but until the final finishing is done on this one I can't post a pic. It's all part of the contest over at The Primitive Hare. Click on the link on my sidebar to see all the details and join in the fun.

To all of my blogging friends, I wish you a very Happy Valentine's Day!

Oh golly Lynn, where to start? I love your Valentines pillows and that darling heart shaped ornament..Stunning!!! What a lovely time you must have had this weekend, and what regal fellows you encountered!

Congratulations on the beautiful finishes, Lynn! Your finishing is fantastic!! I think they all look great. I laughed at you running home and eating up the chocolates--oh yes, we are kindred spirits. LOL I loved the pics of the park! How neat!! I am going to show my daughter--she wants to do French as a dual major with Business in college & I keep telling her that she can use it in Quebec, too. I love the arctic fox--how pretty.

Your Valentine's heart to your hubby is beautiful and so prettily finished!! Love all those photos of the deer, fallow and that moose!!! The shy winter fox is so sweet pretending you can't see him!! Love the deer butts!!! So great to see all that wildlife!

Love the little pillows Lynn. And of course, one must eat lots of chocolate to get a perfect box for framing. Your heart turned out lovely.Thank you for the drive through the park. I got to enjoy it and not the snow lol.

your finishes are just so lovely - If I was you I would be off to buy some more chocolates - for the heart shaped boxes of course! (I must certainly remember that, my one and only attempt at a heart shaped ornie was a not a good day..)

Now - that is the best excuse (reason) for eating a box of chocolates that I have ever heard. I just wish I had thought of it. The park in Quebec is lovely and your pictures are stunning. Love the valentine finishes.Judie

Wow! Those animals are amazing--and so close up, Lynn!! Parc Omega looks unlike any place I've ever seen...

Your heart finish is perfect--good for you for trying one. I haven't gotten up my nerve yet. And, of course, you know I love your Quaker Valentines--you couldn't have found a more perfect fabric for them!

Such sweet Valentine finishes. The backing fabrics are a great match and I definitely love the edging of the heart. Looks gorgeous.It was so great to take that drive through the park with you through all these great pictures. The eagle looks so majestic, I'd really like to see one in real life one day.